| |
| |
Friberg Mission
|
Dr. Friberg
is a pediatrician, and his mission assignment is "Rural Health Care."
He travels from clinic to clinic throughout Tanzania providing medical
care for all in need.His degree in pediatrics enables him to provide
special care for children. He was raised in Africa, and his father was a
Lutheran missionary. He plans to make mission ministry his lifetime
work. Steve and Bethany have three children, twin boys Nyika and Zaka
age6 and a girl, Shalai, age 5.
Dr. Friberg
was called by the Diocese in the Arusha Region to coordinate the
renovation and reactivation of 14 rural dispensaries in the north Maasai
area. The Maasai Dispensaries Project involves three of these
dispensaries (medical clinics) that are no longer staffed. This means
that no medical help is available to the people accept Selian Hospital,
a walk of several days. Dr. Friberg was invited to repair the
facilities, one dispensary at a time, and to provide medical care,
traveling from his home base in Kitumbeine. As Tanzanian medical staff
are available and assigned, he will mentor them and coordinate the work
of the dispensaries.
|
 |
| | |
| Friberg
Newsletter |
| |
Kirurumu Health Center
P.O. Box 34, Mto wa Mbu
Tanzania, East Africa
August 2007
Dear friends,
The small but regular income over 40 women
earn by making beadwork has transformed their lives. Bethany
works closely with two groups but cannot take on any additional
women requesting to join. A new women’s group of 28 called
Nanyor was turned down. Discussions followed about possible
alternative projects including camels. Camels do well in our
arid environment and browse on thorn scrub that goats and cattle
cannot. They are disease resistant. They produce milk
throughout the 5-month dry season when cattle do not. When we
approached Heifer Project International about acquiring camels and
training for the group they were extremely helpful. They
promised Nanyor one bull and 8 females if we could raise the money
for six additional females ourselves. Nanyor will raise money
for two and we are asking supporting congregations to give toward
the other 4 camels ($600 per camel). Nanyor, Heifer Project,
and we are excited about making this happen.
|
 |
 |
|
Our boys Nyika and Zaka will begin 6th
grade at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya this September. It is
situated at 7,000 ft in lush forest overlooking extinct volcanoes on
the Rift Valley floor. After five years of home schooling in
the bush, they are ready for new opportunities. They will be
in a dorm with 10 other boys. Nyika and Zaka’s three-day visit
to the school in May left them eager to start. Steve spent
three years at RVA in the 1970s and loved it. Shalai,
age 5, wants you to know her goat gave birth to twins last month.
Last week Maasai morani warriors ran 2 hours to
call for help. Two of their friends had been fighting with
sharp double-edged sime and one was cut badly on the upper arm, the
other sustained a deep abdominal wound. We drove up Ketumbeine
mountain for an hour. By the side of the trail we washed loops
of intestine with 5 gallons of water, rinsed with saline, reinserted
bowel, packed the wound with gauze, and gave IV fluids and
antibiotics. After a 4-hour rough ride he got surgery and by
God’s help recovered without any complications.
Thank you for remembering our family and
community. We are privileged to see the Good News of
Jesus touching people spiritually and physically.
Steve and Bethany Friberg
Nyika, Zaka, and Shalai
|
|
